Vacuum cleaner



2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l V TOR f 4 al! BY flfi$wl w M ATTORNEY;

R A PONSELLE VACUUM CL EANER orlglnal Flled July 27 1940 Aug. 4, 1942.

Patented Aug. 4, 1942 VACUUM CLEANER Robert A. Ponselle, New York, N. Y.

Original application July 27, 1940, Serial No.

348,142. Divided and this application April 19, 1941, Serial No. 389,406

6 Claims.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners, such as those of the mobile type which include a housing mounted on a roller carriage and a motor-driven fan unit by which a suction is created within the housing to draw a dust-laden stream through a flexible tube into the interior of the housing. With such cleaners, the housing, which serves as a dirt container, must be removed from its supportfrom time to time to be emptied, and the present invention is concerned more particularly with a novel locking means for securing the housing in position.

In the new cleaner the housing rests on a platform, and the platform is provided with spaced projections extending upwardly above the surface and engageable with the wall of the housing. Means are provided for holding the housing against the projections and such means include a pair of plungers connected together by a link connection and when one plunger is depressed, the other is forced against the wall of the housing. The link connection between the plungers transmitting force from one plunger to the other is of such construction that it may be swung past dead center position sothat the plunger engaging the wall of the housing is locked in position and the housing then remains locked in position until positively released.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a view in vertical elevation, with parts shown in section, of a vacuum cleaner equipped with the new locking means;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

The cleaner illustrated includes a housing ill on top of which is mounted a domed cover containing a motor-driven fan unit. The housing has an inlet fitting II in which may be mounted the end of a flexible hose provided with a tube and, in the operation of the cleaner, a stream of air laden with dust, etc. is drawn through the tube into the interior of the housing and the dust, etc. is deposited on the bottom thereof.

The housing and its associated parts are mounted on a carriage, which comprises a platform l2 of wood or other suitable material, and secured to the edge of the platform at one side of the center thereof are upstanding brackets l3 having sockets H for the ends of a handle l5. Each bracket is also provided with an outwardly projecting stud I5 serving as the axle of a wheel It. On the inner face of each bracket near the surface of the platform is mounted a rubber block I! and above the block, the face of the bracket is formed with a fin l8 having a face sloping away form the face of the bracket in a downward direction.

Secured to the platform on a diameter bisecting a line connecting the blocks ll of the brackets i3 is another bracket H which is formed with a cavity 20 in its under surface and has a bore for the reception of the pintle 2| of a caster 22. Projecting downwardly through the top of the bracket i9 is the stem 23 of a plunger having a head 24 lying above the bracket. The lower end of the stem 23 lies between and is pivotally connected to the ends of a pair of links 25, and the other ends of the links lie on either side of and are pivotally connected to the end of a stem 26 of a second plunger having a rubber block 21 at its upper end. The stem 26 extends through an opening in the wall of bracket l9 and the inner face of the bracket is provided with a recess in which the block 21 may be received. A spring 28 is coiled about the portion of the stem 26 lying within the cavity 20 and a crossbar 29 extends across the cavity 20 beneath the links 25 and supports the inner end of stem 26 and the ends of the links connected thereto.

When the housing of the vacuum cleaner is to be mounted on the carriage of the construction described, the plunger 23, 24 is raised and this causes a swinging movement of links 25 resulting in an inward movement of plunger 26, 21, that movement being assisted by expansion of the spring 28. The upward movement of plunger 23, 24 is stopped when the block 21 on stem 26 is seated in its recess in bracket is and with the parts in that condition, the housing is placed upon the platform. In the downward movement of the housing, its edge is prevented from doing injury to blocks I! on brackets l3 by the ribs l8 and, when the housing is in place on the carriage, plunger 23, 24 is depressed. This movement causes links 25 to swing and the links, in turn, force the plunger 26, 21 inwardly toward the housing until the block 21 bears against the wall ofthe housing. As the downward movement of plunger 23, 24 is continued until the head 24 of the plunger is seated on top of the bracket, plunger 26, 2'1 forces the housing firmly against block I! and when the plungers 23, 24 is in its fully depressed position, links 25 have been swung past dead center, so that upon release of plunger 23, 24, spring 28 is prevented from moving plunger 26, 21 inward and plunger 23, 24 upward.

When the cleaner is in use, the housing-is tightly gripped between the blocks H on the two brackets II. and the block 21 on the horizontal plunger, and the blocks are under compression. The housing then remains held firmly in place on the carriageuntil plunger 23, 24 is raised by the operator against the action of spring II. 7

While the locking means of the invention has been illustrated as applied to a vacuum cleaner of the mobile type, it is to be understood that the locking means may also be employed with stationary cleaners.

This application is a division of my co-pending application Serial No. 348,142, filed July 27, 1940.

1. In a vacuum cleaner a platform on which a housing may rest, spaced'abutments lying above the surface of the platform for engagement by the housing, and means for holding the housing against the abutments including an element movable into and out of engagement with the housing, a plunger, and a link connection between the plunger and element, movements of the plunger being transmitted through the connection to the element.

2. In a vacuum cleaner, a platform on which a housing may rest, spaced abutments lying above the surface of the platform for engagement by the housing, and means for holding the housing in place against the abutments including an eiement movableinto and out of engagement with the housing on the platform, a spring tending to move the element away from the housing, a plunger, and a link connection between the plunger and element through which movements of the plunger are transmitted to the element.

3. In a vacuum cleaner, a platform on which a housing may rest, spaced abutments lying above the surface of the platform and havin cushioning members for engagement by the housing, and means for holding the housing in place on the platform against the members, including an element movable into and out of engagement with the housing, a plunger, and a link connection between the plunger and element a plunger, and a link connection between the 1 through which movements of the plunger are transmitted to the element.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a platform on which a housing may rest, spaced abutments lying above the surface of the platform and having cushioning members for engagement by the housing, and means for holding the housing in place on the platform against the members, including an element carrying a cushioning block, said element being movable to bring said block into and out of engagement with the housing,

plunger and element through which movements of the plunger are transmitted to the element.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a platform on which a housing may rest, spaced abutments above the surface of the platform for engagement by the housing, and means for holding the housing against the abutments, including a mounting extending above the surface of the platform, an element in the mounting movable into and out of engagement with the housing on the platform, a plunger carried by the mounting, and a link connection between the plunger and element, movements of the plunger being transmitted through the connection to the element.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, a platform on which a housing may rest, a pair of brackets extending above the surface of the platform, cushioning blocks mounted on the brackets for engagement by -a housing on the platform, a third bracket extending above the surface of the platform, and means carried by the third bracket for holding the housing on the platform against the cushioning blocks, said means including an element in the third bracket which is movable into and out of engagement with the housing on the platform, a plunger mounted in the third bracket, and a link connecting the plunger and element, movements of the plunger being transmitted through the connection to the element.

ROBERT A. PONSELLE. 

